IFA President John Bryan has called for the EU Commission to reinstate a full ban on Brazilian beef imports after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified a third case in the last week of Brazilian beef failing to meet acceptable food safety standards.

According to the IFA President, “The Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli must move immediately to ban Brazilian beef and withdraw any similar products on supermarket shelves as European consumers, like those in the US, must be equally protected.”

Mr Bryan added that confirmation that Brazil’s largest exporter had been stopped by the US authorities from exporting beef because it breached permitted levels of animal medicine residues leaves the EU Commission with no choice but to put a full ban back in place. “IFA will be insisting that the EU Commission reassesses the testing procedures that have been used during their visits to Brazil. If the US authorities can uncover three cases in the space of one week, then it raises questions about the monitoring done on behalf of European consumers who must have full confidence in the system.”

The IFA President said DG Sanco must then instigate a thorough review of the practices surrounding cattle production in Brazil to safeguard the European producer and consumer, both of whom are being exposed to an unacceptable and unnecessary risk. In conclusion, Mr Bryan said the problems discovered by the USDA highlight the importance of protecting food security and food safety for Europe’s 500 million consumers.